by D. P. Noe

Created on: October 20, 2008   Last Updated: April 12, 2011

The value of exercise is that it maintains and can also increase your bone mineral density. The negative effect of a low mineral bone density is that it puts you at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Osteoporosis increases the likelihood of having bone fractures.  For example, a simple fall when an individual has osteoporosis can result in a broken bone compared to another individual with good bone density and they will not suffer any broken bones.

When you are younger your body is able to make bone mass fast enough to replace what you lose. At around age 30 for women and a little later for men, you start to lose your bone mass faster than you can replace it. The loss of bone mass is what puts you at risk for osteoporosis as you get older. Bones are living tissue and they need exercise to make them stronger .

One of the best ways to strengthen your bones and prevent osteoporosis is  regular exercise. Even if you have osteoporosis, exercising can help maintain the bone mass that you have. The more bone mass you have before the age of 30, the better condition your bone mass will be in your later years. Just like your heart, your muscles enjoy exercise and when you use your muscles they become stronger and increase your bone mass.

Watch your diet because this affects your bone health. Excessive amounts of protein in your diet will upset the acid balance and will actually draw out calcium from your bones to neutralize the acid. It is recommended that you do not have more than 2 servings a day of protein. If you consume a lot of salty food this can raise your sodium level in the body and having high levels of sodium increases the amount of calcium your body gets rid of in your urine,

There are three types of exercise that are specific for osteoporosis.

1. Weight bearing

2. Resistance

3. flexibility

WEIGHT BEARING

The definition of weight bearing means your feet and legs are supported by your body's weight. Examples of weight bearing exercises are walking, hiking, dancing, and stair climbing. Participating in sports like bicycling and swimming are great exercise for your heart and lungs, but they are not the type of exercise that will benefit your bone health. The reason is because when you are riding a bike or swimming you are being held up by something other than your feet and legs.

If you walk as little as three or four times a week you can positively impact your bone health. Weight bearing does not have to be high

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